Hat-box.



W. B. GRENSHW.

HAT BOX.

APFLioATwN FILED 0019.191?.

Patented July 9, 1918.

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reasonable WILIIAM B. CRENSHAW, 0F WATSON, W'EST VIRGINIA.

e HAT-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July e, reis.

Appncation :ned october 9, 1917. serial No. 195,630.

To all whom t may concern:

VBe vit known that-I, WILLIAM B. GREN- sHAw, a citizen of thev United States, residing at Va'tson, in the county of Marion and State of iNest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat- Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invent-ion relates to boxes and `more particularly toV hat boXes and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved hat boX which has an opening in the front thereof as well as ordinary top closure, so thaty the` contents of the boX can be removed therefrom through the front thereof and thus eliminate the necessity of taking the boX from the shelf.l

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved box having the ordinary top closure and a pivoted front closure and having means to prevent accidental removal or opening of one of the closures Vwhile the other closureV is being opened.v 1

A further'object of the invention is the provision of an improved draw spring which is so associatedwith the body that the same can be so manipulated as to hold either one of theJ closures against removal.

A still further object Vof the'invention is the provision of a hat bo-X of the above character, which is durable and eliicient in use, one that is simple and easy to construct, and onethat can be placed upon the market at a price. r

With these. and other objects in view-the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, 'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof in which:

Figure 1 isa perspective view of theimproved hat boX, i

,F ig. 2 is a transverse vvertical section of the same, and l Fig. 3 isa horizontalsection taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral lgenerally indicates the improved hat boX which includes side walls 2 and`3 respectively, the rear wall 4, the bottom wall 5 and the front wall G. The

front wall 6 is pivoted to the bottom 5 by means of a hinge 7 which is preferably formed of flexible material such as fabric and preferably glued in position. The front wall G is sofformed as to fit snugly in between the side walls 2 and 3. Theside edges of the front wall .6 are provided with guide flanges 8 which extend the entire height of the wall and are connected at their upper portions by aconnecting strip 9.` The guide flanges S and the connecting strip 9 form means for guarding against the entrance of dust into t-he box. A flexible strip 10 is secured to the central portion of the front wall 6 and forms a tab whereby the front wall can be swung downward on the hinge 7.

A closure 11 is provided for the top of the boxand consists of the rectangular plate 12 having downwardly extending flanges 13 formed on its edges. The front flange 13 is made separate from the rest of theflanges and the same is connected to the front edge of the plate 12 by means of a hinge 141. The hinge 14 is 'preferably made of flexible material similar to the' hinge', so that the front flange can be drawn upward when the front wall 6 is desired to be thrown open. A U-shaped bail 15 is pivoted to the side anges 13 of the top closure 11 and forms means for holding the closure 11 on the boX and also prevents the front wall 6 from being accidentally opened. The free ends of the legs 16 of the U-shaped bail 15 are bent inwardly toward each other as at 17 and the inwardly bentends'are received in openings 18 formed inthe side flanges 13 of the top closure 11. A By this construction the U- shaped bail 15 is pivotally secured in place. The bight portion 19 of the bail 15 is bent slightly inwardly, so as to frictionally engage the front flange 13 and force the same rearwardly, so as to hold the top closure 11 in frictional contact with the front wall 6 and thus prevent the accidental displacenient of the top closure. lhen the bail 15 is thrown downward so as to position the bight portion 19 in engagement with the front flanges 13, i-t is impossible to open the front wall 6 as the front flange 13 engages the upper edge of the same.

An endless iieXible cord 20 is provided for engagement with the top closure 11 and the front walls 6 and is so arranged as to prevent the accidental opening of one closure, while the other is being manipulated.

A pair ofrspaced openings Zlare formed in the central portion of the side walls 2 and 3 adjacent the upper edge thereof andV threaded through the openings in the endless flexible member 20.' Each of the opento engage the top closure 11 and the opposite portion 24E is positioned, so as to enif panying drawings circle the front wall 6.

In operation of the improved hat box when it is desired to open the front wall 6 the flexible endless cord 20 is pulled out and the portion 24C will resume a position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the bail member l5 is then thrown upward, which will allow the front flange 13 to be swung upward and by pulling on the tab 10Vthe front wall 6 can be readily swung on the hinge 7. When the flexible member 20 is pulled so as to open the front wall 6 the uppery portion 23 thereof is drawn into engagement with the top closure 1l which prevents the accidental removal thereof. When it is desired to remove the top closure 1l, the upper portion 23 of the flexible member 20 is pulled whichY draws the flexible member through the reinforcing members 22 and' positions the lower portion; 24 in tight engagement with the front wall 6 and prevents the accidental opening of the same. When the upper portion 23 of the flexible member 20 has been pulled out yof engagement with the top closure 1l the same can be readily removed.

A reinforcing strip 25 extends from the front upper edge of the side wall 2, to the opposite front edge of the side wall 3 and forms means for preventing the side walls from spreading at the front portion Ythereof and also provides a rest for the front portion of the top closure. y

From the foregoing description it can be seen that an improved hat box is provided which has an opening in its front wall and an opening in the upper wall and has means to absolutely prevent the accidental opening ofl either one of the closures Vfor the openings, when one of the same is being manipulated. n

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the accomand referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efcient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

I desire to 4emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may ybe resorted to, when required, without sacri-V flexible member slidably associated with the Vg casing for engaging either the front or'top closure to prevent the accidental opening of one closure, while the other is being opened'. 2. A hat box' comprising a bottom, rear and side walls, a front wall pivotally se- Cued to the front edge of the bottom wall, I i

and a removable cover forthe top of the box, said spaced aperturesformed therein, and an side walls each having a pair Vof,

endless flexible member slidably mounted in Y the openings, said endless member being adapted to engage either the front closure or the top cover, as and for the purpose' specified.

3. A hat box comprising a bottom, rear and side walls, a front wall pivotallyv secured to the bottom wall of the front edge thereof, a removable cover for the top of the box, said cover havingdownwardly ex tending flanges formed on the side edges forV engaging the upper edges of the rear, side and front. walls,l the front flange of saidremovable cover being pivotally secured thereto, and means pivotally carried by lthe fremovable cover for engaging said 4front flange, as and for the purpose specied.

4. A hat box comprising a bottom, rear and side walls, a front wall pivotally sesured to thebottom wall at the front edge thereof, aremovable cover for the topV of thebox, said cover having downwardly ex-V tending flanges formed on the side Vedgesthereof lfor' engaging the upper edge of the rear, side and-front walls, the front flange of said removable cover kbeing. pivotallyfsccured thereto, and a U-shaped bail .member pivotally secured at lits free ends to the side flanges of the cover, the lbight portion of said U-shaped vbailbeing arranged to engage the pivoted front flange, as and for v Y the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM B. cRnNsHAw,

' Witnesses:

HARRY .FiTzHUGm W. II. FORTUNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byraddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. 

